Knitting machine



Aug- 5, 1929- E. E. PAQUETTE KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 2.2. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet FIC?. I.

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AUS- 5 1929 E. E. PAQUETTE 1,723,881

IIIIIIIIIIIII NE Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,723,881 PATENT OFFICE.

EXILIAS E. IEAQUETTE, OF WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT AND WIIILLIALMS, INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed June 22,

My invention relates generallyV to knitting machines and more especially to knitting machines employed in the manufacture of hosiery. y

In the knitting of hosiery as ordinarily practiced, it is customary to reinforce those portions of a stocking which are liable to the greatest wear. Such reinforcement is secured by supplying to the knitting needles, an auxiliary or splicing yarn in addition to the main or body yarn which is dominant in stocking fabric.

The main object of my invention is to make it possible to render the reinforced portion of the knitted web serviceable, not only from the standpoint of utility, but in an ornamental capacity as well,so as to enhance the attractiveness and saleability of the stocking. This desideratum I attain by governing the duration of the active periods of an intermittently operative auxiliary or splicing yarn feed so that the range of feed ing, or in other words, the number of needles supplied with the reinforcing yarn, is varied concurrently with the production of the knitted web. In this way, for example, the portion at the back of the stocking'ankle directly above the heel, ordinarily known as the high heel reinforcement, may be given an ornamental tapered configuration, beginning coextensively in width with the4 heel and terminating in a point in what may be conveniently termed the median line at the back of the .stocking structure.

Other objects and attendant advantages of my invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In the drawings, Fig. I, is an elevation of a knitting machine conveniently embodying my invention, portions thereof being shown in section forthe purpose of setting forth certain important details to the best advantage.

Fig. II, is a perspective illustration of the greater part of the struct-ure as viewed from the right of Fig. I.

Figs. III, and IV, are diagrammatic detail views showing for th'e purposes of comparison and in different positions, two cooperative elements of the mechanism Whereby the splicing yarn feed is actuated.

l Fig. V, is a diagrann'natic illustration of one side of the foot of a stocking showing, by way of example, an ornamental high heel reinforcement capable of being produced by 1921. Serial No. 479,512.

aid of my invention, the other side being, of course, a duplicate in construction.

The machine herein shown is' a circular stocking knitter, which, it will be observed, is generally ot' well known construction. Its needle cylinder 1 is approlniately mounted for rotation in a projecting extension 2 of a plate 3 which forms a part of a housing frame 4. Said frame serves to support the various operative mechanisms of the machine, and is mounted upon a sub-structure 5 whereby it is in turn supported at a convenient height from the floor. Motion is imparted to the needle cylinder 1 through a bevel gear G secured to t-he inner end of a main driving shaft 7 which is provided at its opposite extremity with` a .series of pulleys 84-8 adapted for 3o-.ordination with any suitable source of motive power.

As is common to hosiery knitters, appropriate mechanism is provided for effecting either rotary or oscillatory motion ofthe needle cylinder in producing stockings after well known and approved practice. In the present instance, this mechanism includes a clutch 9, adapted to be shifted by a grooved drum 10 fixed upon a shaft 11 which is rotated under the drive of a ratchet wheel 12. Pawling of the ratchet Wheel 12 is subject to the control of a pattern chain 13 which runs about a sprocket wheel 14 mounted for free rotation upon the shaft 11. Said sprocket wheel is either formed integrally with, or is' att-ached to a ratchet wheel 15 adapted to be picked by means of a suitable paWl not shown. i

The knitting needles, indicated at 16 in Fig. I, are guided for reciprocation in vertical grooves of the needle cylinder 1 and are subject to appropriate actuating cams upon a cam shell or block 17. The machine is equipped with a series of feeds, whereby yarns of different qualities or gauges may be interchanged in the course of the knitting. Amongst these is a feed 18 which supplies a main or body yarn to the needles, and a feed 19 which supplies an auxiliary or splicing yarn during certain periods of the knitting ot' a stocking.' Said feeds are freely fulcrumed about a common pivot rod 2() secured in upstanding lugs 21 of a ring 22 which surrounds the top of a needle cylinder, said ring being hinged at 23 to a stationary bracket 24. Associated Wit-h each yarn feed is a thrust bar 25, which engages the feed from beneath to swing .the same upwardly about its fulcrum in opposition to the pull -of a spring 26,when it is to be rendered inoperative. The several thrust -bars are guided .adjacent their upper ends, in a slotted element 27, and similarly near their lower ends, in a slotted plate 28 which is secured to a fixed cylindrical bar 29 extending laterally from the machine frame 4. Introduction of the vai'ious yarn feeds, or substitution of one for the other, is controlled by a master drum 30 having a series of peripheral cam segments 31-31 designed to co-operate respectively with the lower ends of the thrust bars 25. The cam drum 30, is, in its turn, subject to the control of the pattern chain 13 rotative motion being imparted thereto from the shaft 11 through a transmission train comprising the intermeshing gears 32, 33 and 34, see Fig. I.

lVhile the splicing yarn feed 19, like its fellows, is subject to the master control of l the drum 30, its behavior, when released to activity in reinforcing certain portions of the stocking, is however subject to the subcontrol of a mechanism which effects its intermittent action, and which moreover so governs the duration of its periods of activity as to effect variation in the range of feeding, or in other Words, variation in the number of needles supplied as the knitting proceeds. It is with this mechanism that my invention is particularly concerned, and which I will now proceed to describe in detail.

with the edge of a cam 38 secured to the front face of the bevel gear 6 on the main driving shaft 7 previously referred to. The arm 36 is held in positive engagement with `the cam 38 by a coiled spring 39, and has,

at one side, a cam 40, which, owing to the oscillatory movements of said arm induced by the rotary cam 38, is constantly reciprocated beneath the right hand end 41 of the lever 42. Said lever is fulcrumed at 43 Ito the back of a movable support in the form of a link 45, and its opposite end is slotted as indicated at 46 for the purpose of 25 which aetuates the splicing yarn feed- 19. Pausing for a moment at this juncture to refer to the diagrammatic showing of Fig. IV, it will be noted that upon each movement of the cam 'to the left, the cooperative end 41 of the lever 42 is permitted to drop to an extent limited by the engagement of the undercut edge or bight 52 of the lever with said cam 40, the motion thus obtained being imparted, through the lever 47, to the thrust bar 25 of the auxiliary or splicing yarn feed with the result that for each revolution of the needle cylinder, said feed isallowed to descend into action under the pull of its spring 26. The duration of such active periods of the yarn feed will obviously be determined by the positions of the end 41 of the lever 42 with respect to the field or path of reciprocation of the cam 40. Thus, in order that the periods of activity of the auxiliary or splicing yarn feed l19 may be varied, we have provided for the shifting of the link which supports the fulcrum of the lever 42. One end of said link is accordingly pivotally attached to a shifter arm 55 and the opposite end supported through the instrumentality of a screw stud 56 which is guided for movement within a horizontal slot in the upturned portion 57 of the plate 50 already mentioned. The shifter arm 55 is freely fulcrumed to the shaft 35 directly adjacent the oscillating arm 36, and held from displacement by a collar. 58. To the lower end of the shifter arm 55 is attached a roller 60 which cooperates with a rotary cam 61 which may be called a pattern cam. Said cam is secured to the front face of a ratchet wheel 62 adapted to rotate independently about the shaft 11, as an axis. The ratchet wheel is racked, a tooth at a time, by a pawl 63,-the latter receiving its motion by virtue of its being pivotally connected at 64, to the oscillating arm 36.01' to a radial extension of the hub portion of said arm. A spring 65 serves to maintain the pawl 63 at all times in positive engagement with the ratchet Wheel and retrograde movement of the latter is prevented by a safety detent in the form of a leaf spring 66 extending from a fixed point of anchorage, as clearly shown in Fig. II. After having made a complete revolution, the rotary cam 61 comes to rest automatically by reason of the existence of a blank space 70 amongst the teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 within which the-pawl 63 is allowed to play idly until movement of the ratchet is initiated. This movement I prefer to bring about under control of the pattern chain 13, and since the rotation of the shaft 11 is directly subject to such control, the gear 32, secured thereto is therefore employed as a convenient means'to this end. Said gear is accordingly, provided with an outstanding stud 71, which, when the gear is shifted, engages a similar stud 72 projecting rearwardly from the ratchet cam 61.

In the present connection, I have shown my invention as adapted for the production of an ornamental high heel reinforcement such as shown at 75 in Fig. V. Thisreinforcement, as suggested diagrammatically in the illustration, is coextensive in width lwith the top of the heel, and gradually tapers upwardly, in perfect symmetry at opposite sides of the stocking, toward a point 7 6 in the median line at the back of the latter. With this structure in mind, the operations of the machine in producing the same may be briefly described as follows:

Let it be assumed that the leg of the stocking has been knit in a manner well known to those skilled in the art of producing seamless hosiery .u'ntil the region has been reached where reinforcement of the high heel is to begin. At this time, a special or high llink on the pattern chain 13 causes the ratchet wheel 12l to be pawled with the result that the gear 32 is shifted sufficiently to advance the stud 71 to engage and shift the stud 72 and the ratchet wheel 62. This will serve in turn,.to advance the blank space 70 ofthe ratchet beyond the province of the pawl 63 whereupon the latter immediately begins to pick the ratchet tooth bytooth. When the ratchet wheel 62 has been progressed sufficiently to advance the high portion of the attached rotary cam 61- to position beneath the roller 6() on Athe lower end of the shift-er arm 55, the pattern chain 13, again functions to bring about the shifting of the master drum 30 to release the thrust rod 25 of the auxiliary or reinforcing yarn feed 19. The relative positions of the various parts of the machine at this stage are those illustrated in the drawings. From Fig. III, it will be apparent that the position of the end 41 of the rlever 42 is such that the cam 40, notwithstanding reciprocation, will be ineffective in inducing motion of the lever, as a consequence of which actuation of the splicing yarn feed 19 does'not begin immediately. However, as the rotation of the rotary cam 61 continues, the end of the lever 42 will be advanced in the direction of the arrow 'in Fig. III until it drops off the cam 40, so that the auxiliary or splicing yarn feed 19 will be` permitted to become active momentarily to feed yarn to one or two needles. By reason of the spiral configuration of the cam 61, the duration of the periods of activity of the auxiliary yarn feed 19, will be increased gradually course for course of the knitting. The number of needles fed is thus correspondingly increased, until `the low.

point in the cam 61 has reached a position beneath the roller 60 of theshifter arm 55, when approximately half the series of needles is being fed. The relation of the lever 42 and the reciprocating cam 4() at this stage is shown in Fig. IV. When this point has been reached, the roller 60 of the arm 55 will come to rest within the low point of the cam, since the pawl 63 will at this time play idly within the blank space of the ratchet wheel 62. Contemporaneously with the cessation of the racking of the ratchet wheel 62, the pattern chain 13 causes rotary progression of the drum 10 to shift the clutch 9, whereupon the needle cylinder .l is oscillated` and the heel of the stocking produced by narrowing and widening in the known manner. In knitting the reinforcement of the stocking sole, the cam G1 of the actuating and governing mechanism for the auxiliary yarn feed remains in the idle position last described so that in producing this portion of the web, the yarn is supplied throughout to a constant number or approximately half of the series of needles as suggested in the diagrammatic illustration of the stocking foot in Fig. V. After the stock ing is completely formed the transverse connecting threads of the splicing yarn which intersect the channel of the tubular product are trimmed close to the inner surface of the fabricand the ends of the splicing yarn remaining in the fabric, define, with relation to each other, a pair of diverging lines which extend at an angle to the wales of the body yarn as shown in Fig. V. These lines defining the tapering wear resisting area begin at the remote terminals of the heel sutures and converge to a meeting point located on the rear medial line ofthe leg portion.

. lhile I have shown and described my invention as being particularly applicableA to the production of an ornamental high heel reinforcement, it will be obvious that the configuration of the cam 61 and its time of operation may be predetermined to effect production with equal facility of ornamental effects :iny other parts of the stocking structure.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination of a series of knitting needles; a feed adapted to supply auxiliary or splicing yarn to the needles; apivoted lever co-ordinated with the yarn feed; a-reciprocatory cam effective upon the lever in causing the yarn feed to be moved intermittently into and out of activity with respect to the needles; and

governing means for relatively shifting the lll) aforesaid lever in causing the yarn feed to V` be moved intermittently -into and out of activity with respect to the needles; and governing means forshiftingthe position of the lever with respect to its actuating cam to effect variation in the periods of activity of the yarn feed with corresponding variation in the number of needles, fed as 3. In a ltting machine, thel combination of a series of knitting needles; a feed the knittingnproceeds.

I adapted to supply auxiliary or splicing yarn to the needles; a pivoted lever co-ordinated with the yarn feed; an oscillating arm carrying a cam adapted to co-operate with the aforesaid lever in causing the yarn feed to be moved intermittently -into and out of activity with respect to the needles; a

. shiftable support Whereto the lever is fulcrumed; and` means for shifting the support to effect changes in the operative relation jbetween the lever` and the oscillating cam for 'the purpose of bringing about variation in the periods of activity of `the yarn feed with corresponding variation in the number of needles fed as the knitting proceeds. f

4. In a knitting machine, the combination of a series of:` knitting needles; a feed adapted to supply auxiliary or splicing yarn to the needles; a pivoted lever co-ordinated with the yarn feed; an oscillating arm carrying a cam adapted to co-operate with the aforesaid leverin causing -the yarn feed to bel moved intermittently into and out. of activity with respect to the needles; and governing means for shifting the position of the lever with respect to -its actuating cam to effect variation in the periods of activity of the yarn feed with corresponding variation in the number of needles fed as the knitting proceeds, including a rotary cam, and means for controlling the movement of the said rotary cam.

5'. In a 'knitting machine, the combination of a series of knitting needles; a feed 'ada ted to supply auxiliary or splicing yarn to t 1e needles; a pivoted lever co-ordinated with the yarn feed; an oscillating arm carrying'a cam adapted to co-operate with the aforesaid lever in causing the yarn feed to be moved intermittently into and out of activity with respect to the needles; and

governing means for shifting the position of the lever wlth respect to its actuating cam to effect variation in the periods of with the yarn feed; an oscillating arm carrying a cam adapted to co-operate with the cam, said ratchet havin aforesaid lever in causing the yarn .feed to be moved intermittently into and out of activity with respect to the needles; and governing means forjshifting the posltion of the lever with respect to its actuatin cam to effect variation in the periods o activity of the yarn feed with corresponding variation in the number of needles fed as the knitting proceeds, includlng a rotary cam; a ratchet wheel for drivin said rotary a lank space amongst its teeth wherein a co-operative pawl may idle without effecting rotative movement of the ratchet; and control means for initiating movement of the ratchet in advancing a blank space of the latter beyond the province of the aforesaid awl.

7. A circular knittingmachme, comprising a needle cylinder; a series of knitting needles carried thereby; a feed for sup lying auxiliary or splicing yarn to the ne es; a pivoted lever co-ordinated with the yarn feed; a cam reciprocating in synchronismA with the rotations of the needle cylinder, said cam being adapted to co-operate with the aforesaid lever in causing the yarn feed to be moved intermittently into and out of activity with respect to the needles; in coinbination with governing means for shifting the position of the lever with respect to its actuating cam to effect variation in the period of activity of the arn feed with corresponding variation m the number of needles fed as the knitting proceds, including a shifter arm; .a rotary cam associated with the shifter arm; a ratchet wheel for driving the rotary cam; and a pawl for picking the ratchet, said pawl deriving its motion-from the aforesaid oscillating arm.

8. A mechanism for controlling a yarn feed linger of a circular knitting machine, comprising two members with coacting faces, one of which is cainmed, and means for reciprocating one of said members with relation to the other in harmony with therotation of the knitting head, in combinat1on with. a pattern cam and means whereby the pattern cam may vary the relation of One of said members to the other, to thereby vary at different courses the number of needles taking y-arn from said yarn finger.

9. circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means, including a splicing yarn feed, a .reciprocatory -cam for controlling the operation of the said splicing yarn feed, and governing means, cooperating with the said cam, for varying,at different courses, the number of needles taking the splicing vyarn'.

10. A circular knitting machine having a series of needles and yarn feeding means, including a splicing yarn feed, a pivoted lever -coordinate with the splicing yarn feed, and a reciprocatory cam effective upon the lever in causing the 'yarn feed toA CII move intermittently into and out of activity With respect `to the needles and governing means for relatively shifting the lever and the cam to effect variationin the periods of activity of the yarn feed With corresponding variations in the number of needles fed as the knitting proceeds.

V11. In a circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means including a splicing yarn feed, an oscillating arm carrying a cam for controlling the operation of said splicing' yarn feed during any one course, and governing means cooperating with the said cam for varying at different courses the number of needles taking the splicing yarn;

`12. A circular knitting machine h-aving a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means including a splicing yarn finger, a cam With means for reciprocating it in harmony with the revolutions of the needles, a pivoted lever adapted to be rocked by said cam and to determine by its rocking the period of activity of said splicing yarn feed during any one course, and means for varying the operative relation between said cam and lever to vary the said period at different courses.

13. A circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means including a splicing yarn feed, an oscillating arm carrying. a cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be rocked by said cam and to determine by its rocking the period of activity of said splicing yarn feed during any one course, and means for shifting said lever to change the operative relation between it and the said cam to vary the said period at different courses. y

14. A circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn `feeding means including a splicing y-arn feed, an oscillating arm carrying a cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be rocked by said cam and to determine by its rocking the period of activity of said splicing yarn feed during Iany one course, a pattern cam and means opcrated thereby for shifting said lever to change its relation to said cam in order to vary the said period at different courses, and means for controlling the movement of said pattern cam.

15. A circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means including a splicing yarn feed, an oscillating arm carrying a cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be rocked by said cam in its reciprocations and to determine by its rocking the period of activity of said splicing yarn feed during any one course, a pattern cam and means operated thereby for shifting said lever to change its relation to said cam in order to vary the said period at .different courses and means for moving said pattern cam to shift said lever a predetermined amount and then come to rest.

1G. A circular knitting machine having a series of knitting needles and yarn feeding means including a splicing yarn feed, al1 oscillating arm carrying a cam, a pivoted lever adapted to be rocked by said cam and to determine theperiod of activity of said splicing yarn feed during any one course, a pattern cam and means operated thereby for shifting said lever to change its relation to said cam in order to vary the said period at different courses, together with a ratchet Wheel having -a blank space among its teeth, feed pawl means cooperative with said ratchet for moving said pattern cam, and mechanism for advancing the ratchet Wheel to move the blank space beyond the pawl.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 18th day of June, 1921.

EXILIAS E. PAQUETTE. 

